Alona Rose Hotel by SMS Hospitality

The stable WiFi, around 30 Mbps, was a plus. It’s about a 5-minute walk to the beach, though the beach itself wasn’t much to write home about: boats, seaweed, bars, and no shade or even palm trees. I can’t imagine why anyone would like it. The rooms are extremely cramped, barely big enough for the bed. There’s a window, but it looks straight at a corridor wall, and there’s no room for a fridge. The only electric socket is nowhere near the bed. The building has terrible acoustics, so you hear everyone on your floor, including reception watching TV early in the morning. The 2nd-floor deluxe and family rooms might be a little quieter, but I didn’t check. There’s nothing to look at from above anyway, and the 3rd-floor terrace is off limits. The place wasn’t clean, and there are much better budget options nearby, whatever the reviews might suggest. Management only fixes things when you complain. It felt like they hadn’t washed the pillows in years, even though a new one costs $1 and washing one is 20 cents, while we were paying them $22 a night. Really? When we arrived, the water smelled awful, although the room had only been unused for 1-2 days. The odor cleared after running a few buckets of water. The shower barely worked until we asked them to fix it, and the water heater also needed a repair. Then the water stopped completely while I was showering. I had to report it again, and it took another hour for them to fix it. Not recommended!

There’s a small parking area outside that fits 5 to 6 vehicles. The location is convenient, near the main road and just 3.5 kilometers from the airport. My room and the bathroom were clean, and it was peaceful and quiet around the property. The staff were accommodating. The TV worked, but there weren’t any channels available.

The location worked well for us, with the beach about a five-minute walk away and a little convenience store next door. The shared area has fast Wi-Fi, though it could be slow in our room. We spent 10 nights here very comfortably. Alona Rose was newly opened, so everything felt clean and fresh, and the staff were incredibly kind and generous. The air conditioning was excellent and quiet, and having access to a common fridge was handy. Great value, just as advertised. We hope to come back soon.

Please, if you care about your safety as a tourist, don't come here. The water smelled like a dead frog all the time, from the sink, toilet, and shower, and the bed and pillows weren't cleaned. We booked one night, but spent it standing up and praying for morning so we could leave. We left early. It was awful.